


Welcome Back

by CharliP1989



Category: Blindspotting (2018), Rafael Casal - Fandom, Real Person Fiction
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:13:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26340961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharliP1989/pseuds/CharliP1989
Summary: A surgery gone wrong leads to reflection for the reader.  Originally posted to my tumblr, ryjo-92.
Relationships: Rafael Casal/Original Female Character(s), Rafael Casal/Reader, Rafael Casal/You
Kudos: 7





	Welcome Back

The mechanical whirr of the ventilator and the constant beeping of the machine were the only sounds heard in the room. They had become the soundtrack to your life for the past four days. Your boyfriend went in for a routine procedure that ended up being far from routine.

_“Y/N I’m gonna be fine. No one dies from having their appendix out.”_

_“No, but you’ve never had surgery before. Anything could happen,” you sighed, kissing his forehead gently._

_He held your hand tight in his. “It’ll only take an hour and we’ll be home tonight. I’ll let you have total control and won’t even complain when you won’t let me off the couch.”_

_“I’mma hold you to that, Mr. Casal. Mia’s pretty good and keeping you in one spot.”_

_Rafael kissed you as the nurses arrived to take him in for surgery. “I love you. I’ll see you in a few hours. Save the videos you take of me waking up; no posting until I consent!”_

The statistics for appendectomy complications were low, but there was always an outlier. Rafa was that outlier. Having an allergic reaction to a medication caused him to stop breathing. The doctors kept him on a ventilator; however, none of them expected him to still be unconscious four days post-surgery.

You sat in the chair you’d been occupying each day and picked his hand up in yours. You stretched his fingers and massaged his wrists, trying to keep them from seizing while he slept.

“It’s day four, Rafa. Your incisions are healing, the doctors are ready to take the stitches out. You need to wake up though. I know you’re tired but now isn’t the time to make up on the sleep you’ve missed,” You sighed as you pinched his bicep.

You rubbed his jaw; a new beard grew in thick. “Wake up. You have to wake up now. They’re starting to say if you don’t wake within a week you may never. You promised me you’d be ok. You promised me that when it’s time for us to die that I go first because I can’t live without you,” you sobbed as you rested your forehead on his collarbone. “I can’t do this without you.”

Nothing changed. The steady beep of the monitor was your only company. The ugly tube sticking out of his mouth prevented you from kissing him how you wanted so you settled with kissing his cheek.

Resigning yourself that there was no change to his condition, you curled up in the chair to try and get some sleep. Sleep eluded you lately; you didn’t want to miss the chance of seeing him open his eyes.

You held his hand gently in yours as you drifted off. Whenever either of you couldn’t vocalize your love, you would squeeze the others hand three times. You had been squeezing three times for the past four days with no response. Until now. You felt three soft squeezes in answer to yours.

You stood up and leaned over the bed, getting as close to his face as possible. “Rafael? Rafa can you hear me?”

He opened his eyes and squeezed your hand harder. Reaching up with his left hand, he went to grab at the tube to pull it out.

You hit the nurse call button before grabbing his hand in yours. “Hey, don’t touch that. That’s been breathing for you the past four days. Relax baby, it’ll be out soon.”

A team of nurses and doctors rushed into the room and pushed you out so they could work. You texted your friends and family to let them know Rafa was finally awake as your waited to be let back into the room.

You felt a gentle tap on your shoulder. “Ok Y/N, you can go back in. He’s still a little drowsy but is awake and alert. There doesn’t seem to be any neurological damage from the coma, but we’ll run a CT scan later to be sure. Just try and keep him from talking too much. We’ve left a cup of ice for him to soothe his throat,” the nurse smiled as she opened the door for you.

You walked back into the room and took him in. The ugly tube was replaced with a nasal cannula. Most of the machines were removed, safe for the heart monitor. You quietly walked up to the bed and sat down on the edge. 

Rafael turned his head and owlishly blinked up at you. “Hey baby,” he croaked out.

You held up a spoonful of ice and he ate it, soothing his throat. “Hey yourself. Took your sweet time waking up there, Sir.”

He smirked and mouthed “Happened?”

“Well, turns out you’re allergic to the sedatives they used. You stopped breathing. Rafa, you were out for four days.”

He took your hand and kissed your knuckles. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I’m sorry I scared you like that. Were you here alone?”

You shook your head. “Diggs was here most of the time. I think some of the staff think we’re all dating each other.”

Rafa chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “Well we totally could,”

You laughed and smacked his arm gently. “Nope. You know I’m not Emmy’s biggest fan so having her in the relationship would be awkward. I’ll keep you to myself, thank you.”

He smiled and fed himself another spoonful of ice. Patting the space next to him on the bed, he opened his arms for you. “How’s Mia?”

You smoothed his hair back and got comfortable in his embrace. “She’s good. Well taken care of and missing you. We should be home soon, unless you want to be dramatic and sleep for four more days.”

He kissed your forehead. “No plans. I just want to cuddle. I feel like I’ve missed so much.”

“You haven’t really. But if you don’t properly kiss me, I may hit you with a pillow,”

Rafa tilted your chin up with his thumb and kissed you. Your lips moved in sync as if they were a bonded pair. You nipped his bottom lip and he opened his mouth, allowing your tongue to slip in. You both kissed passionately, making up for the four days without each other. He lifted your leg gently over his hip, grinding up into you. You gasped and continued to kiss him until you heard the heart monitor let out a shrill buzz. You both froze and burst out laughing, realizing his heart rate went a little too fast.

“Welcome back, baby,” You smiled, nuzzling his neck.

He laughed and settled himself. “If that’s the welcome I get I just might have to leave you for four more days. Damn girl,”

“As long as you come back, I’m ok with that,” You said, dimming the lights in the room. “Do you want to nap? You won’t be able to sleep once Daveed gets here; I don’t think he’ll let you,”

Rafa nodded and held you close. “I know I scared you both. I know you didn’t get much sleep either, so you rest. I’m right here.”

You settled in and felt your eyes close. Knowing your boyfriend was awake and on the road to recovery was what you needed to finally rest.


End file.
